U.S. Mobile Data on Unlicensed Spectrum, 2016-2021: How will Wi-Fi Offload and Unlicensed LTE help meet demand?

Details

As mobile operators have deployed more LTE over the past few years, the demand for high speed mobile data has also increased. One way to supply that demand is for mobile operators to acquire more spectrum, but licensed spectrum is expensive and rare. The other option for mobile operators is to use unlicensed spectrum in one of two ways:

Offload traffic to a Wi-Fi network

Use unlicensed spectrum (specifically, 5 GHz) for LTE.

Although a few years ago Wi-Fi Offload was seen as the primary method for mobile operators to take advantage of unlicensed spectrum, in the last two years, there has been significant interest in (and controversy surrounding) the use of LTE on unlicensed spectrum, specifically 5 GHz.

This market study provides a discussion of the options available for mobile operators. It discusses both user-driven and carrier-driven Wi-Fi Offload, gives updates on the deployment of the related technologies, and discusses the benefits and issues surrounding its continued and expanded deployment.

The market study also discusses the various types of Unlicensed LTE technology that allow LTE to be used in the unlicensed 5 GHz spectrum band, including LTE-U, LAA, LWA and MulteFire. It discusses the controversy surrounding their use and gives updates regarding its deployment in the U.S.

Finally, a five-year forecast is provided, which shows the amount of U.S. Wi-Fi Offload traffic and unlicensed LTE traffic and how this number compares to the total amount of U.S. mobile data traffic.

Key Questions Answered

What is user-driven and carrier-driven Wi-Fi Offload?

What are some of the key standards efforts associated with Wi-Fi offload?

What are the benefits and issues associated with Wi-Fi offload?

What is Unlicensed LTE?

What is the 5 GHz band and why is it important?

What are LTE-U, LAA, LWA and MulteFire? How are they the same? And how do they differ?

What is Listen Before Talk and why is it important?

What are the benefits and issues associated with Unlicensed LTE?

When will Unlicensed LTE technology be deployed?

How much U.S. mobile data traffic is expected to be put on unlicensed spectrum (using both Wi-Fi Offload and Unlicensed LTE) over the next five years?

Who Should Read

Mobile operators, particularly those servicing the U.S. market

Mobile backhaul providers, including telcos and cable MSOs

Wired and wireless backhaul vendors and solution providers

Mobile OEMs, particularly those servicing the U.S. market

Wired and wireless infrastructure vendors, particularly those servicing the U.S. market

For additional information on the U.S. Mobile Data on Unlicensed Spectrum Forecast, 2016-2021: How will Wi-Fi Offload and Unlicensed LTE help meet demand? market study, please contact Iain Gillott, at (512) 263-5682 or by email.